Building-block.



No. 869,770. PATENTED 00129. 1907. W. W. BIRNSTOGK.

BUILDING BLOCK.

APPLICATION FILED 001231. 1908.

UNrrnn s'ra rns garner enrich.

WILLIAM WILTON BIRNSTOOK, OF YORK, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TOBUiLDING-IBLOCK.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Oct. 29, 1907.

Application filed October 31. 1906- Serial No. 341,419.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, WILLIAM WILTON BIRNSTOCK, a

citizen of the United States, residing at York, in the county of York,State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvementsin Building- Blocks, of which the following is a description, referencebeing had to the accompanying drawing and to the letters and figures ofreference marked thereon.

This invention relates to that type of building blocks constructed ofcement, concrete or other analogous composition.

The object is to provide a novel article of the above character, thatcan be man ui'actured with greatest ease, is economical in the amount ofmaterial employed, and yet is not only strong and durable, but in itselfprovides an insulating air space, and by reason oi the way it is appliedin the construction of buildings. gives an air circulatitm. thus notonly giving vertical air passages but also horizontal circulatingpassages.

The inyention includes first a construction of building block itselfhaving an elongated central opening, with metal rein'lorci ng strutswhose ends are embedded in the walls, and which extend across the openspace, thereby affording a convenient means of handling the blocks, saidblocks on the inner side having grooves, projections or the like tofacilitate plastering thereagainst without requiring intermediatestudding or lathing.

Secondly. the invention includes a wall made oi hollowblocks constructedas aforesaid, the blocks 01' the respective layers breaking joints withthe blocks in the adjacent rows, whereby continuous vertical airpassages are formed, as well as horizontal passages.

Finally, the invention consists in the matters hereinafter descr bed andreferred to in the appended claims. "he invention is illustrated in theaccompanying drawings, in which,

Figure 1 is a plan view of a hollow building block embodying myinvention; Fig. 2 is a cross section of the same: Fig. 3 is a plan view,of a wall built up of my building blocks; and Fig. 4 is an elevation ofFig. 3, partly in section.-

In these drawings, A represents the block which is composed of cement,concrete or analogous composition, and which is formed according to anywell known molding process.

It is herein shown as having one side formed with dovetail grooves aadapted for reception of plaster, as shown in Fig. 3, by whichconstruction the plastering may be secured directly to the block withoutnecessitating intermediate st udding or lathing It will be observed thatthe plaster receiving grooves are vertically disposed so that the bodyof plaster will form a bonding medium between adjacent blocks in thesame course. These vertical grooves are further important in that theplaster is more firmly held and is not so liable to crack in case ofsettling oi the walls.

The block A is hollow, having a central elongated opening B, the ends ofwhich are preferably rounded, as shown, and projecting entirely acrossthe opening are herein shown two metal struts b, b, the ends ofwhich'are embedded in the side walls of the block and serve to reinforcethe block. and at the same time afford a convenient way of handling theblocks by which they may be moved from place to place, or set inposition, without danger of breaking or clipping them.

As a further and special improvement, I have devised a specialconstruction of building wall to be made up oi these blocks. This isshown in Figs. 3 and 4. The blocks A in the respective layers arearranged so as to break joints, thus leaving the vertical air passages cand the horizontal air passages indicated by the arrows d.

Having thus described my invention, what 1 claim as new and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is:

1. A hollow building block formedwith continuous side and end walls andhaving a single central elongated opening between the side and end wallsextending vertically through the block. and a pair of spaced reinforcingmetal struts extending across the opening, and having their oppositeends embedded in the front and rear parallel walls of thc block. saidstruts being arranged midway of the veriical height of the block to formhandles accessible from either open side of the block, and;the strutsbeing parallel with each other, and at equal distances from the ends ofthe block for convenience in lifting the latter.

2. A building block formed with continuous side and end walls and havinga single central elongated opening be tween the side and end wallsextending Vertically through the block, spaced reinforcing metal strutsextending across the opening and having their opposite ends embedded inthe front and rear walls of the block, said struts being arranged midwayof the vertical height of the block, the inner face of-said hlock beingprovided with plaster receiving groovesv V 3. A building block formedwith continuous side and end walls and having an opening extendingVertically through the block, and reinforcing metal struts extendingacross the opening and having their opposite ends embedded in the frontand rear walls of the block.

In testimony whereof l affix my signature, in presence of two witnesses.

WILLIAM WILTON BIRNSTOCK.

Witnesses Emma C. ZEIGLER, Gnonen S. DELLINGER.

